'Disgraceful,' 'shameful,' 'damn near traitorous': Conservatives rail on Trump's disastrous Putin summit


The conservatives aren't alright. After President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and held a joint press conference with the Russian leader Monday, conservatives took to Twitter to voice their displeasure.
First up to bat was Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who quickly condemned Trump's "bizarre" equivalence of the U.S. and Russia's roles in destroying their relationship. "When the president plays these moral equivalence games," Sasse said in a statement, "he gives Putin a propaganda win he desperately needs." Sasse's fellow Republican, Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.), wrote that he thought Trump's performance was "shameful."
Still, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had perhaps the most savage take of them all:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Away from Capitol Hill, Republican strategist Mike Murphy blasted Trump's "damn near traitorous" remarks, calling the press conference "the most depressing, disgusting, toadying, weak, moronic, [and] lie-stuffed" appearance in the "long history of the American presidency." Former Republican congressman Joe Walsh called the event "the final straw," saying he would "never support Trump again." CNN host S.E. Cupp, meanwhile, rounded things off with a solid dose of sarcasm, which you can see below. Kathryn Krawczyk
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
July 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a Medicaid time bomb, and Donald Trump's fixation with the Fed's Jerome Powell
-
5 hilariously cutting cartoons about the Department of Education
Cartoons Artists take on being rotten to the core, budget cuts, and more
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department